This course aims to show you some of the technologies available to manipulate digital media on the web. It emphasizes the use of open-source XML-based media languages to facilitate the production of media-rich web pages. The emphasis is on the programming of such pages, and web page design is covered only from the viewpoint of web site accessibility. Accessibility is an issue that is increasingly important not only on equity grounds but also as computers become more ubiquitous (eg mobile computers) and as information is increasingly delivered in non-text form. Being aware of accessibility issues when building a media-rich website is an important asset. The course encourages the incorporation of accessibility features in the form of a multi-modal model of communication in assignment work. The languages covered include SVG for vector graphics, SMIL for multimedia synchronisation and VoiceXML for voice-activation and response with web pages. In the end, the theory of multimodal user interface is used to tie all the pieces together allowing you to see the big picture and extend it to embrace new technologies as they become available.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

On completion of this course, students should: • Describe how information can be transferred between computers and humans • Review XML / CSS (students should be familiar with basic HTML already) • Integrate multiple media streams into a single presentations using SMIL • Design accessible web pages and validate the accessibility and usability of existing web pages. • Explore as example a single human sensory parameter – Colour. • Build a simple web user interfaces using JavaScript and XML-Events for event handling • Build a graphical web user interfaces using Scalable Vector Graphics - SVG • Build a web based voice interface using VoiceXML and XHTML+Voice • Design a multimodal user interface (putting it all together)

Overview of Learning Activities

The lectures will be largely theoretical, with the students required to investigate the latest developments in specific items that are nominated in each lecture for the following class. The subject matter falls into three general groups: an overview of usability and accessibility in the context of rich-media, the use of two XML-based media languages for media display (SVG and SMIL), and using a voice-based XML-based media language (VoiceXML) to explore a multimodal user interface The tutorials/labs will involve some group work, examine some specific case studies and also look at some multimedia issues. In addition, there will be some language exercises to test student knowledge, Some optional further labs will be available online and so will be unsupervised. The practical assessment will concentrate on how well and appropriately, the language tools were used in a multimedia program. Emphasis will be placed on solutions, which use several forms of multimedia, encourage user interactivity and effectively handle accessibility, and students will be encouraged to use XML / DOM / JavaScript to develop a rich-media presentation on conventional browsers, and possibly on a mobile or simulated mobile display. The examination will concentrate more on the theoretical content of the lectures but may also have some questions relating directly to the assignment and tutorials. Study of the lecture notes alone may be insufficient for the examination and students will be expected to have studied textbooks and other resources

Overview of Learning Resources

You will make extensive use of computer laboratories and relevant software provided by the School. You will be able to access course information and learning materials through the Learning Hub (also known as online@RMIT) and may be provided with copies of additional materials in class or via email. Lists of relevant reference texts, resources in the library and freely accessible Internet sites will be provided.

Students will be provided with lecture notes, tutorial and laboratory material, as well as support material for the assignments (if any) Students will need access to a PC with specific software installed, viz: • Opera v8+ (available from http://www.opera.com) • Real Player or Helix player (latest) (available from http://www.real.com) • Adobe SVG plug-in for IE (available from http://www.adobe/com/svg/) • Access to the internet for use of WebXACT For extra support with study organisation, assignment planning or learning skills you may wish to contact any of the following:

For standard assessment information relating to Computer Science and IT courses see: http://www.rmit.edu.au/compsci/cgiAttendance: While a minimum attendance standard is not compulsory, non-attendance may seriously jeopardise the chances of success in this course. Clearly, non-attendance at an assessment will result in failure of that assessment. Where visa conditions apply, attendance is compulsory. Assessment Tasks and Value: Lectures: 2hr per week Tutorial: 1hr per week Laboratory: 1hr per week Practical component: 2 Assignments: 40% of the course mark. Theoretical component: Exam: 3hr, 60% of the course mark. To attain a pass in the course, students are required to pass both the practical component and the examination component. Each component should therefore be viewed as a hurdle. In the event that a student passes one component and fails the other, the student result is a Fail and their final % mark is the lower of the two components. Submission of Assessment Tasks: There are two assignments, possibly with multiple submission dates. The student must electronically submit all source code and finalise their web page by the end of weeks 7 (27 August) and 12 (8 October) respectively. Either or both submissions may require a demonstration of the assignment in the tutorial classes in weeks 8 and 13. Full submission details will be included with the assignments. Students are advised to keep a copy of submitted assignment work. Return of Assessment Tasks: Return date of assignments is normally within two weeks after the submission date.

See Assessment Tasks (part B course guide for this Teaching Period) for assessment details, including deadlines, weightings, and hurdle requirements. For standard assessment information relating to Computer Science and IT courses see: http://www.rmit.edu.au/csit/cgi